Lighting fixture



May 22,1945. B. A, MI'TCHELL 2,376,801

LIGHTING FIXTURE 1 Filed April 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Why 22, 194 B. A. MITCHELL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'Thisiinvention relate-sate ilighting {fixturesgand :has particular reference v:to;fluorescent; tube alightzinglfixtures: i ,1

:An ob-ject of the linvention is the provision -.of awsimple and efiicient construction of a fluores- .cent wtube r-lighting fixture -that isaeconomical to manufacturetand instal1,\andrmaybeservicedwery easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide antimproved cconstruction 'oi a fluorescent tube lighting fixture using a reflector made of nonmetallic material. 7 i

A further object of .the invention is to provide a fluorescent tube lighting fixture in which. the wireway channel is arranged apart from the reflector of the fixture.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for combining a plurality of fluorescent tube lighting units in a continuous row.

With these and still other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts and elements, described in detail in the follow ing specification and pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that many and varied changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the claims or the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a top view of a fixture embodying the invention; r

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view,

Fig. 3 a bottom view, and

Fig. 4 an end elevational view of the fixture shown in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, to a larger scale and partly in section, of the fixture as seen from the inner side thereof;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 shows in a side elevational view, partly in section, the ends of two coupled fixture units;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig.8; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a modification.

One fixture unit is shown as a whole in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, An elongated reflector I, preferablymade of non-metallic material, e. g. plastics, accommodates one. or more (in the example shown, two) fluorescent tubes 2 which are car- FBern-ard A;Mitchellyflhicago,Ill. V. v p lication. ril [10, 1943, Serial ri -acacia comma (01. 240-78 "ri'e'd bytubehblders 131situatedaat the ends of the reflector 11 .Arrang'ed above the :refiectorrli'and spaced therefrom by means *of .parts 5 is a 13111311:- lar member *4 which :is of -.substantially -ifiati rectangular cross. section and rot approximately-stile same +length as. the reflector 1.. .The tubular member :14 serves as ;a wireway :channel :and :has

secured to the lower side of it-a:=casing=Bi-which contains thequsualv ba1last'means, :ziIhe casing 6 preferably ita-keswup- ;part only of :thevspaee i'lett between the wireway channel '4 and the reflec tor l.

The parts5 which support the wireway chane nel 4 and are attached thereto are in the form of box-like housings secured by means of screws 1 or the like to the ends of the reflector I. Extending into the lower partof the housing 5 are the upper parts 3 of the tube holders 3 bearing the fittings for the wire connections of these tube holders. Also within the housing 5 a so'cket 8 may be provided adapted to receive the usual starter cartridge 9 which may be insertediinto the starter socket 8 through an opening 10 in a removable side wall ll of the housing 5.. The top wall I2 of the housing 5 has an opening l3 so as to permit the wires (not shown) coming from the parts 3' of the tube holders 3 and from the starter sockets 8 to pass into the tubular wirenection with fluorescent tube lighting fixtures;

in the drawing chains l4 being shown which en-v gage extensions I-5 of the housings 5.

Instead of using a fixture unit as shown in Figs.

1 to 4 individually, a plurality of such units may be combined very easily and conveniently to form a continuous row of such units. For this purpose coupling members are used each engaging the ends of two adjacent wireway channels which in this case need no end caps. A shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a sleeve 11 is provided having a cross section fitting the outer surface of the flat rectangu- I v lar wireway channels 4, and into this sleeve I! there are inserted the ends of two such channels 7 4 belonging to two fixture units. The coupling sleeve His secured to the ends of both wireway channels 4 by means of wing screws I8 engaging slots l9 which are open towards the edges of the coupling sleeve l1. Two hole 20 in the topside of the sleeve l1 corresponding with holes (not shown) in the top side of the two wireway channels 4 may be provided" for the passage of wires where this is necessary.

Additionally to the coupling sleeve IT, or replacing it as a coupling member, a bracket 2| as shown in Fig. 10 may be'used, embracing by means ot two clamps 22 the ends of the wireway channels 4 of two fixture units arranged end to end. The clamps 22 may befastened or loosened by means of screw bolts .23. Into the center of the bracket 2| a tubing 24 may be screwed for the passage of wires 25 coming out of one of the holes 20 of the wireway channels 4 (or of the sleeve I! where such a sleeve is used). The tubing 24 may at the same time serve as a suspending means for the fixture or separate suspending means may be secured to the bracket 2 l Inboth cases the extensions l5 of the parts 5, as shown e. g. in Fig. 9, may be dispensed with;

What I claim is:

1. Fluorescent tube lighting comprisin a plurality of units arranged in: a continuous rowand ::having each an elongated reflector, ballast means, a tubular wireway channel, and supporting means for: holding said wireway channel inspa'ced relationship to said reflector, said ballastzmeans being aflix'ed to said tubular wireway between the latter and said reflector; and coupling means for holding 2.Fluorescent tube lighting comprisinga plurality of units arranged in a continuousvrow and together the endsof adjacent wireway channels.

having each an elongated reflector, tube holders at the ends of the unit, ballast means, a tubular wire-way channel of substantially flat rectangular cross-section, and hollow supportin means for holding said wireway channel in spaced relationship to said reflector, starter sockets within at 7 least one of said supporting means, saidsupporting means being adapted to accommodate wires passing from said tube holders and said starter sockets into said tubular wirewaychannel, said ballast means being affixed to said tubular wireway 'between the latter and said reflector: and

acoupling means for holding together the ends of adjacent units, each of said coupling means comprising a sleeveadapted to receive the two adjacent wineway channels.

ends of 3. A fluorescent lighting'fixture comprising an elongated reflector member, tube holders at the ends of the fixtura. a tubular wireway channel in spaced relationship to said reflector, hollow supporting members extending between the reflector and the tubular wireway channel'adjacent the ends thereof, ballast means, said ballast means being aflixed to the wireway channel in the space between the channel and the reflector, said hollow' supporting members being adaptedto accommodate wires passingfromi-said'tube holders into said tubular wireway channel. I

BERNARD A. :MITHELL. 

